Capo tasto.



No. 7|3,3|0. Patented Nov. Il, |902.

` E. R. KAPPELEB.

CAPO TASTO.

(ApplicltAion filed Apr. 14, 1902.\

(lo Model.)

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fnx/sses d #di UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST ROBERT KAPPELER, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAPO TASTO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 713,310, dated November11, 1902.

Application filed April 14, 1902. Serial No. 102,824. (No model.)

T0 all woon t may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST ROBERT KAP- PELER, of Allegheny, Alleghenycounty, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in CapoTastos, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which* Figure 1 is a top plan View showing a neckportion of a guitar with my improved attachment, partly broken away.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly broken away. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the attachment; on the side opposite to that of Fig.2; and Fig. 4 is a perspective View, on a larger scale, of theattachment.

My invention relates to capo tasto used upon guitars or other stringedinstruments, and is designed to provideasimple, smoothlyoperating, andeffective device of this class which may be adjusted along the neck andclamped or unclamped while the operator is playing the instrument.

In the drawings, 2 represents the neck of a guitar having a verticallongitudinal slot the bottom of which is partially closed by parallelplates or strips 3 3, secured along the under face of the neck. Theframe of the capo tasto, which slides in this slot, consists of avertical plate 4, having at each end lower sidewiseprojecting lugs 5,which contact with the under faces of the strips 3. The lugs have curvedcentral extensions or stems 6, which extend up through the slot and areprovided with lateral lugs 7, which bear on the upper faces of thestrips.

The bar S of the capo tasto is secured to a swinging lever 9, pivoted tothe frame 4 at 10 and having at its rear a cam-recess 11, with notchesat each end. The upper curved arm 12 of a bell-crank lever 13, pivotedto the frame at 14, engages the cam-recess and actuates the mufiier-bar.This bell-crank lever projects down through the slot and is bentlaterally and provided with a removable thumb-loop 15.

A spring 16 surrounds the pivot 10 of the lever 9, and the upper arm ofthis spring exerts a lifting tendency on the muffler-bar.

The lower portion of the spring is reversely bent and bears upon one ofthe strips 3. This spring affords sufficient friction to preventaccidental displacement of the capo tasto when not clamped in place.

In using the attachment the player-inserts the thumb of his left hand inthe loop 15 and uses his fingers in the ordinary manner for fingeringthe frets. Vhen it is desired to apply the capo tasto, the operatorslides it along within the slot to the desired fret and then pressesupwardly, thus moving the end of the bell-crank lever from the uppernotch of the cam-recess to the notch at the other end, the parts thenassuming the position shown in Fig. 3. The strings are thus clamped atthe desired fret by the muiier-bar, and the parts will remain in theirlocked position until the operator draws down on the bell-crank, thusmoving its end within the cam-recesses and releasing the upper lever,which is lifted by the spring.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to users of stringedinstruments-such as guitars, banjos, izo-since the capo tasto may bemoved while playing a piece to change the key and give dierent chords orchords in dilfereut positions, the fingers remaining in the properposition for fingering the frets. The device is simple, may be cheaplymade and applied, and is found to work efliciently in practice.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the devicewithout departing from my invention, since I consider myself the rst toprovide a capo tasto which can be moved along and clamped 0r unclampedby the thumb, leaving the fingers in proper position for playing.

I claim- 1. A musical instrument having a sliding capo tasto on itsneck, a movable lockinglever for the capo tasto, and a thumb-loop onsaid lever arranged to receive the thumb of the player; substantially asdescribed.

2. A musical instrument having a longitudinally slotted neck, a capotasto sliding within the slot and having a stem projecting upwardlythrough the slot, a clamping-bar carried by said stem, and a leverprojecting below the slot and arranged to lock the capo tasto in anydesired position; substantially as described.

3. A musical instrument having a longitudinally slotted neck, a slidingcapo tasto Within the slot, and a locking device provided withaleverprojecting below the slot and having a thumb-loop to receive the thumbof the operator; substantially as described.

4. A musical instrument having a neck provided with a longitudinal slot,a frame movable in the slot, a movable element carrying the muiiler-barand mounted in the frame, a lever connected to the frame and arranged toslide the frame and clamp the muflier-bar, and a lock for the bar;substantially as described.

"5. A musical instrument having a sliding capo tasto attached thereto, amuftlerbar forming a part ot' the capo tasto, a spring arranged tonormally lift the muffler-bar, and a lever device arranged to slide thecapo tasto and clamp or unelamp the muffler-bar; substantially asdescribed.

6. A musical instrument having a longitudinally-slotted neck,longitudinal metal strips extending along the slot and partially closingit, a capo tasto having operating mechanism moving within the slot, anda lockinglever having a thumb-piece projecting from said mechanism belowthe slot and serving as a handle to move the capo tasto along the neck;substantially as described.

7. Amusicalinstrumenthavinganeckwith a longitudinal slot, a framearranged to slide within the slot, a tilting lever mounted in the frame,a muffler-bar on the tilting lever, and another lever engaging thebar-lever and arranged to swing and hold it in its difterent adjustedpositions; substantially as described.

8. A capo-tasto attachment having a frame consisting lot a plate, saidplate having bent/ holding-strips arranged to engage the neck of theinstrument, a spring-actuated lever carrying a muiiier-bar pivoted tothe plate, and another lever pivoted to the plate and bearing upon thebar-lever, the latter lever having a thumb-loop; substantially asdescribed.

9. A stringed instrument having a neck with a longitudinal slot, a framemovable in the slot, a muer-bar lever pivoted ou the frame, and anotherlever pivoted on the frame and having cam connection with the barleverarranged to swing the same andhold it in dierent positions, theactuating -lever having a thumb-loop; substantially as described.

10. A stringed instrument having` arneck with a longitudinal slot, aplate movable within the slot and having bent clip portions arranged tohold and guide the plate-frame, a spring-pressed muffler-bar lever onthe frame, having a cam-recess anda bell-crank lever pivoted on theframe and having an` end 'portion operating in thecam-recessinvthe'barlever, the bell-crank lever projecting below theslot and being providedwith a thumbloop; substantially as described.y n

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST ROBERT KAPPELER. Witnesses:

H. M. CORWIN, G. B. BLEMING.

